Method for track renewal

ABSTRACT

In a method for renewing a track ( 2 ) and cleaning a ballast bed ( 3 ), the old track ( 2 ) is lifted off the ballast bed in sections as a track panel ( 15 ), transported forward in a working direction ( 4 ) and deposited on track panel wagons ( 8 ). The exposed ballast bed ( 3 ), forming a renewal gap ( 17 ), is cleaned by a cleaning machine ( 11 ), spoil ( 32 ) accruing in the process is transported forward underneath the track panels ( 15 ) deposited on the track panel wagons ( 8 ), and stored in hopper cars ( 10 ). New rails ( 29 ), pre-deposited underneath new sleepers ( 27 ) positioned on sleeper wagons ( 14 ), are pulled forward into the renewal gap ( 17 ) by the cleaning machine ( 11 ) and deposited on the cleaned ballast bed ( 3 ). The new sleepers ( 27 ) are laid down on the cleaned ballast bed and connected to the new rails ( 29 ) lifted off the ballast bed ( 3 ).

The invention relates to a method for renewing a track and cleaning aballast bed.

According to AT 368 217, a method for rehabilitation of a track subgradeis known in which, by means of a bridge-like first track maintenancevehicle, a track panel is lifted off a ballast bed and temporarilyremoved in the longitudinal direction of the track. In the renewal gapthus created, the old ballast bed is excavated by means of a secondvehicle. Thereafter—again by means of the first vehicle—a formationprotection layer as well as new ballast is introduced into the renewalgap. Upon this new bedding, the old track panel is laid or reinstalled,the panel having been stored on the first vehicle, suspended from theframe of the same, during the bedding rehabilitation process.

A track maintenance machine for partial renewal of a track is known fromCH 657 649, said machine consisting of a carrying beam supported at itsends on two on-track undercarriages. This beam is placed above a trackpanel to be removed, which is lifted up and fixed to the beam. Then themachine is moved on crawler tracks along the track renewal gap, duringwhich the old ballast bed is removed by means of a clearing chainprovided at the end of the beam, and new ballast is brought in. Upon thelatter, the old track panel is subsequently laid down again.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method of thekind mentioned at the beginning with which a simplified complete trackrenewal is possible.

According to the invention, this object is achieved with a method of thespecified kind by way of the features cited in the characterizing partof the main claim.

A method of this kind offers the advantage that a complete track renewalis possible which includes transporting away the old rails and, takingplace parallel thereto, bringing on new rails. In an advantageous way,this renders unnecessary two additional track closures required for aremoval of the old rails and a delivery of new rails which, as a rule,are pre-deposited laterally next to the track to be renewed.

Additional advantages of the invention become apparent from thedependent claim and the drawing description.

The invention will be described in more detail below with reference toan embodiment represented in the drawing in which FIG. 1 is a schematicside view (shown in two parts for reasons of space) of the front sectionof an installation for track renewal and ballast cleaning, FIG. 2 is anenlarged detail view of a part of the installation, and FIG. 3 is aschematic side view of the rear section of the installation.

An installation 1, visible in the drawings, serves for renewal of atrack 2 and for cleaning of a ballast bed 3 and consists essentially ofa number of track maintenance vehicles, arranged one following the otherin the longitudinal direction of the track, which are mobile in aworking direction 4 on on-track undercarriages 5 and, in part,additionally on crawler tracks 6. The front section of the installation1, shown in FIG. 1, is dedicated to dismantling the old track 2 and iscomposed of a panel removing machine 7 and several track panel wagons 8preceding the same in the working direction 4. Located at the front endof the installation 1 is a loading wagon 9 to which hopper cars 10 arecoupled. An independently mobile ballast bed cleaning machine 11 followsthe panel removing machine 7.

The rear section of the installation 1, visible in FIG. 3, serves forlaying a new track 2 and includes a sleeper laying machine 12, followingthe cleaning machine 11 in the working direction 4, to which a motorwagon 13 as well as a number of sleeper wagons 14 are coupled.

The method of track renewal according to the invention starts with theremoval of the old track 2 in sections, in which a track panel 15 is ineach case lifted off the ballast bed 3 by means of the panel removingmachine 7, thus creating a renewal gap 17, and is transported towardsthe front in the working direction 4 with the aid of a gantry crane 16(FIG. 1), where the track panel 15 is deposited on one of the trackpanel wagons 8 riding on the old track 2. During this, the front end ofthe panel removing machine 7 is supported via on-track undercarriages 5on the old track 2 while the rear end of the machine 7 rests in therenewal gap 17 on the now exposed ballast bed 3 via a crawler track 6lowered for this purpose.

The cleaning machine 11, following in the renewal gap 17 and also movingon lowered crawler tracks 6, takes up the ballast bed 3 by means of aclearing chain 18 and cleans it in a screening plant 19. The cleanedballast 20 is discharged right away again via a chute 21 and gradedbehind the rear crawler track 6. Additionally, there is also thealternative possibility to introduce new ballast, as needed, by way of aconveyor belt 22 via the chute 21 into the renewal gap 17, and to gradethe same.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the spoil 32 accruing in the screeningplant 19 is transported forward in the working direction 4 of theinstallation 1 via a conveyor belt road 23 underneath the track panels15 deposited on the track panel wagons 8, where it is discharged via theloading wagon 9 (FIG. 1) into the hopper cars 10 for storage. In orderto enable a removed track panel 15 to be shifted forward withoutobstruction on the panel removing machine 7 for being placed on thefirst track panel wagon 8, a conveyor belt 24 of the conveyor belt road23 is designed to be vertically pivotable by means of a drive 25. Whilethe track panel 15 is shifted forward through the region of saidconveyor belt 24, the transporting of the spoil is briefly interrupted.

The forward motions of the panel removing machine 7 and the trailingcleaning machine 11 must be coordinated with one another in such amanner that a continuous transfer of the spoil 32 to a rear end 33 ofthe conveyor belt road 23 is possible.

In the rear section of the installation 1, shown in FIG. 3, theindependently mobile sleeper laying machine 12 follows the cleaningmachine 11 at a certain distance and, during this, is supported at itsfront end by a crawler track 6 in the renewal gap 17 on the new orcleaned ballast 20. Upon the latter, new sleepers 27 which are broughton in layers with the aid of a gantry crane 28 are continuously laiddown by means of a sleeper laying device 26. The new sleepers 27 arestored on sleeper wagons 14 (not shown in detail) arranged at the rearend of the installation 1, wherein additionally new rails 29 are alsostored underneath the new sleepers 27.

On the sleeper wagons 14, these new rails 29 are gripped in pairs bymeans of a gripping device 30 with the aid of the gantry crane 28 andtransported forward in the working direction 4 up to a front transferposition 31. In this position, the free ends of the new rails 29 arereceived by suitable rail tongs 34—fastened to the cleaning machine11—and pulled forward into the renewal gap 17 and then temporarilydeposited on the cleaned ballast 20 of the ballast bed 3. After the newsleepers have been placed, the pre-deposited new rails 29 are liftedfrom the ballast bed 3, spread onto the new sleepers 27 and connected tothe same to form the renewed track 2.

1. A method for renewing a track (2) and cleaning a ballast bed (3),comprising the following features: a) the old track (2) is lifted offthe ballast bed (3) in sections as a track panel (15), transportedforward in a working direction (4) and deposited on track panel wagons(8), b) the exposed ballast bed (3), forming a renewal gap (17), iscleaned by a cleaning machine (11), spoil (32) accruing in the processis transported forward underneath the track panels (15) deposited on thetrack panel wagons (8), and stored in hopper cars (10), c) new rails(29), pre-deposited underneath new sleepers (27) positioned on sleeperwagons (14), are pulled forward into the renewal gap (17) by thecleaning machine (11) and deposited on the cleaned ballast bed (3), andd) the new sleepers (27) are laid down on the cleaned ballast bed (3)and connected to the new rails (29) lifted off the ballast bed (3). 2.The method according to claim 1, wherein, by means of a gantry crane(28) provided for transport of the new sleepers (27) in the workingdirection (4), the new rails (29) are pulled in pairs into a fronttransfer position (31) for being received by the cleaning machine (11).